Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HIGHLANDERS chief executive officer Denzel Mnkandla says Bosso are “80 percent” done with the recruitment of midfielders Shepherd Mhlanga, Shelton Moyo and Rainsome Pavari, as the Bulawayo giants push to rebuild after a draining off-season.
The three are already training with the club, a clear sign the talks have moved beyond casual interest and into the final stages, with Bosso eager to put numbers and quality back into a squad that has been stripped in key areas.
But even as Highlanders chase fresh legs, a big question remains inside the dressing room, vice-captain Andrew Mbeba’s stay at the black and white side is still not settled, leaving uncertainty around one of the club’s leaders at a time when stability is needed most.
Bosso’s recruitment drive comes after the club lost influential names in quick succession, including Mason Mushore, who recently sealed a move to South Africa’s Premiership side AmaZulu, and creative midfielder Melikhaya Ncube, who was snapped up by Castle Lager Premier Soccer League returnees Bulawayo Chiefs.
The exits didn’t stop there. Mckinnon Mushore did not return to Highlanders after his contract expired at Simba Bhora on December 31, 2025, and instead opted for FC Platinum after his six-month loan spell at the former champions.
At the back, central defender Arthur Ndlovu also walked away from Bosso for Manica Diamonds, a move that underlines how wide the net has been cast in the market as clubs strengthen ahead of the new season.
The names now linked with Highlanders carry their own backstories. Pavari previously found a home at Manica Diamonds, while Mhlanga was on the books of FC Platinum, adding a familiar local top flight edge to a Bosso midfield that is being reshaped in real time.
“All I can say we are 80 percent close to sealing deals with Shepherd Mhlanga, Shelton Moyo and Rainsome Pavari, who can all confirm that they are training with the club. More details will be announced in due course,” said Mnkandla.
Those pending arrivals would add to a busy window already completed by Highlanders, who have brought in Mongameli Tshuma and Tawanda Shenje from Hwange, Royn Nyamono from Bikita Minerals, NUST’s Rayton Chuma and goalkeeper Pride Zendera from Chicken Inn.
The rebuild has not only been about players. Bosso recently parted ways with their entire coaching staff that included Pieter de Jongh, Try Ncube and Agent Sawu, leaving the club to start again on the technical side as well.
Highlanders are set to be led by South African tactician Thabo Senong, but even that appointment is still waiting on paperwork, with Senong yet to get his work permit as the Immigration Department has not cleared him.
If the deals for Mhlanga, Moyo and Pavari are completed in the coming days, Bosso will have taken another major step in closing the gap left by departures, while the Mbeba situation and Senong’s clearance remain the two loose ends that could shape how quickly the new look Highlanders settle.
Mathew Masinge